1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling system assembly, and more particularly to a system and method for assembly of a processor and socket on an information handling system printed circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Improvements in the processing capabilities of information handling systems have resulted from greater processing capability of components used to build information handling systems, such as central processing units (CPUs). Improved processing capabilities have depended on improved information transfer speeds to communicate information between information handling system components, such as the use of serial links like those compliant with the PCI Express standard. One improvement that has helped increase information transfer speeds is the use of land grid array (LGA) sockets to interface a processing component, such as a CPU, with a printed circuit board (PCB), such as a motherboard. LGA sockets include a socket having a pin field disposed to align with pins exposed on the underside of a processing component, thus providing an increased surface area for pin connections compared with conventional sockets that have pins disposed around the periphery of the processing component. The socket pin field is an array of spring contacts that are deflected and provide a contact normal force between the CPU substrate via gold pads on the substrate and the gold plated spring contacts. Deflection with springs provides a minimum contact pressure for good contact to CPU circuitry with minimal resistance. The pin fields have an appearance of an array of slightly cantilevered lever springs. A load mechanism is secured to the printed circuit board over the top of the socket so that a load plate of the load mechanism closes down on an inserted processing component to maintain an interface between the socket pin field and the processing component pins.
One difficulty with the use of grid array sockets, such as LGA sockets, is that the pin field of the socket can suffer damage by even minimal contact with a foreign object or contaminant. During manufacture of an information handling system, manufacturers must exercise care to avoid damage to socket pin fields, especially between the time of attachment of the socket to the printed circuit board and securing of the processor in the socket by a load plate of a load mechanism. To help avoid inadvertent damage to the grid array pin field, the socket is typically covered with a dust cap that is engaged over the grid array pin field immediately after manufacture of the socket. One recently proposed LGA socket presents a challenge since the socket and grid array pin field are assembled to the printed circuit board followed by the load mechanism, which is assembled around the periphery of the socket. After the load mechanism is assembled around the socket, the socket dust cap is removed, the processor is put into place, and the load mechanism is activated so that the load plate holds the processor in place. Inadvertent damage can occur to the socket pin field during removal of the dust cap, such as by dropping the dust cap on the pin field or dragging the dust cap across the pin field.